I'm a little behind on my blog writing, life really takes off sometimes! Back in September I celebrated my two year anniversary of a (mostly organic) vegetarian!! Yay me!! That's a triumph for someone with a 60+ work hours per week life, and a signature phrase that was, "It's not a meal if it doesn't have meat!" You know what that means?! It means no matter how busy your life is there is no excuse!! Might I also mention, I own a home which I live in alone (hence I have no help) have 2 cats and 1 dog, 2 jobs, attend a bible study weekly, a yoga class 3 times per week and I'm starting school in the spring (more on that later)! I'm not saying this to brag, I'm saying this to let you know... Where there's a will there's a way to make a healthy lifestyle happen!!
Excuse all my exclamation points... apparently I am feeling extremely enthusiastic about life right now!
Okay! lets get to the good stuff! Over the past two years, I have been asked a plethora of questions about my lifestyle. I don't typically tell people I'm a vegetarian, as I don't like to draw attention to myself. Obviously friends and family know, and occasionally it comes up with different people in life. I have been asked the age old question that makes all vegetarians want to roll their eyes and strangle someone... "Where do you get your protein?" I even wrote a previous blog about this. No one cares about your protein intake until they hear you don't eat meat. What about my Vitamin E intake, or my Amino Acids? Why does no one ask me about that?! Why don't they go ahead and ask me about my bowel movements while we're at it?! I don't mean to be harsh on the uneducated people, who are seriously interested. Maybe google it, it is the most asked question to vegetarians and vegans! My go to response is, "Americans take in too much protein. A cow didn't eat another cow for protein." You can't argue the facts! Also, I have not lost any muscle from lack of protein, in fact I have gained muscle! I have been called fat most my life, but recently was told I was mostly muscle and had an athletes body! That's whats up!
Okay! For real now! The super fun questions I have been asked! "Have you ever dreamt you ate meat?" and, "Have you ever accidentally ate meat?" The answer to both those questions are YES!
I first went vegetarian in late September 2012. I hadn't intended on starting my new lifestyle until after the holidays, I accidentally stumbled onto some meat research, swore it off at that moment and never looked back except for in dreams! I was a big meat eater before, hot, cold, throw the leftover meat from dinner in an omelet for breakfast. Shortly after my swear off of meat, the holidays arose. My first Thanksgiving as an organic vegetarian I went hardcore. I cooked all my own food organically and took it to my Moms. She was not happy about that, I have since cut back on the organic in family as well as friend situations. The truth is you can't stop living life and socializing due to a lifestyle change.
We had Thanksgiving dinner, everything went off wonderfully for me! It wasn't until later that night I had an issue. It happened... The dreaded, I ate meat dream. It was the most silly simple dream, however it sure did make me suddenly wake up with a gasp! I dreamt it was the day after Thanksgiving, I went to hang out with my family. I'm a scavenger always digging through my parents fridge so that was nothing new. Behold I found the container of cold left over turkey meat, I grab it start eating right out of the container and talking to my family with my mouth full of turkey meat like a barbarian! So I'm eating away and it suddenly clicks in my head... My eyes get huge, my mouth drops, and I say in a horrified voice, "OH MY GOSH! Guys, I'm eating meat." My Mothers attitude remains the same in real life and in my dreams, she gives me the you're stupid look and replies in a snarky voice, "SO." I reply with a scared, what have I done voice, "I'm a vegetarian." She rolls her eyes huffs and walks off leaving me standing there terrified with the rest of my family starring at me. That's when I wake up, My eyes shoot open and I gasp! Shew It was all a dream! Shortly after that I did read that dreaming you ate meat is a common occurrence for new vegetarians as well as vegans.
I've had a few more instances where I have accidentally eaten meat, or rather got meat in my mouth and spit it out in disgust. I try not to be too picky when I'm with my meat eating friends. Truth is, I have no qualms with anyone eating meat, it does not offend me, so I try not to offend others with my vegetables! Some vegetarians are sticklers on not wanting there food even cooked on a griddle where meat was. While it does bother me, I'm aware I don't have much of a choice here in the Midwest and try to be thankful for any vegetarian options.
All that said, I have learned it is probably not a good idea to share a pizza with a meat eater. There has been several instances where the pizza place of choice has mis-cut the pizza and I end up with meat on my side! The bummer of this is.. when there is extra cheese.... sometimes its not noticeable until... dun... dun... dun.. it's in your mouth! WHAT! Gross meat in my mouth. People like to tease me and say I like getting it... Let me tell you.. maybe if I accidentally ate a hamburger or a steak I would enjoy it, but processed pork.. No thank you, I didn't eat pork before!
One particular time I almost ate meat. I was eating at a local pizza place with one of my best friends, She is so good at ordering things without meat when I'm around. Not because of me really, but rather because she's not a meat fan herself. We both ordered a starter Caesar salad (anchovy free dressing). There I am shoveling ice burg lettuce into my mouth like a bunny rabbit who hasn't ate in 3 weeks. Suddenly I stop in my tracks, I look at my friend in shock, dig out a random colored piece and hand it to her, "Is that bacon?" I ask confused as neither of us have ever known Caesar salad to contain bacon bits. Again I did not eat pork previously to being vegetarian therefore never understood the bacon hype. "It sure is bacon." she confirmed... We both grabbed a menu to see if this particular restaurant adds it to be different.. It is not listed on the menu. We both dig through out salads in case there is more. She has no meat in her salad, meanwhile I pull a giant piece of ham out of mine. We can't help but laugh hysterically. I would be the one to get meat in my salad, we stop the waiter, he confirms they do not put meat in any salad except the ones listed. We explain the situation and he offers me a knew one. I kindly decline.
Similar incidents have happened to me other places. Something I ordered the other day had a big chunk of chicken in it. Somehow it still throws me for a loop. If I ate meat I'd probably enjoy it like when you get surprised with an onion ring in your french fries! SCORE!
Those are my two biggest asked questions, that are worth answering. Those, and is this forever? I can't really answer that, I would like for it to be forever, I feel so much healthier and happier, but there is no promise of forever.
So here is to two more years as a happy healthy vegetarian!!
